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Lore of Sylvanas Windrunner
来自 Anshlun
[Last Updated]:
2021/06/28
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Overview of the lore of Sylvanas Windrunner, the Banshee Queen and Warchief of the Horde.
Sylvanas Lore Videos by Nobbel87
Early Life
Not much is known about Sylvanas before the first Horde invasion. We know that she comes from the Windrunner family and that she has two sisters.
Her older sister is Alleria Windrunner, who joined the Alliance of Lordaeron in their battle against the first Horde invasion. She also one of the few that stepped through the Dark Portal after the Horde’s second invasion to try and prevent the Horde from invading different worlds. She fell in love with the Human paladin Turalyon, and they made the ultimate sacrifice of closing the dark portal on Draenor’s side to prevent Azeroth from being destroyed. Many believed that the Alliance Expedition was gone forever. However, that changed when the Dark Portal reopened, leading to the events of Burning Crusade. Alleria and Turalyon were still missing though and left no leads on how to find them in Outland.
Her younger sister, Vereesa, is an elven ranger, first met her husband when she was sent on a secret mission to help him, the Human mage Rhonin. They would eventually assist with the liberation of the Queen of Dragons and Aspect of Life, Alexstraza, growing closer during their mission. Rhonin would later become the leader of the Kirin Tor, and they would get together and have two children. However, tragedy would destroy their happiness as Rhonin died during the bombing of Theramore, sacrificing himself to save many lives. He even managed to push Jaina into a portal before the explosion ran out of control, saving her life. Rhonin’s death would have a significant impact on Vereesa and, by extension, Sylvanas, but we’ll get to that later on.
Sylvanas describes herself as very vain when she was young. She was beautiful, even for high elf standards, and she was a skilled hunter, the most promising one in her family. This skill, this talent would earn her the title of Ranger-general of Silvermoon. Sylvanas was the commander of all of Quel'Thalas' military forces and would have her first appearance in the lore during the first Horde invasion. At that point, the Horde had already taken Stormwind and were on their way to conquer Lordaeron. Anduin Lothar took as many of his people as he could across the sea to warn the Kingdom of Lordaeron about the Horde and get a fighting force going. His effort caused the nobles of Lordaeron to form the Alliance of Lordaeron, including many kingdoms in the northern lands of Eastern Kingdoms, including Lordaeron and Arathi.
First Horde Invasion
The Arathi Kingdom had a close relationship with the High Elves of Quel'thalas, as they aided the High Elves many years ago, during the troll wars, forging a bond between them. However, the High Elves did not see the Horde as a threat to their lands, they relied on their magic to defend their own home, and they only send a token force to aid the Alliance to fight the Horde back. Alleria Windrunner disagreed with her leaders' choices and volunteered to join the token force in the war against the Horde. She believed that the Horde could be a threat to all of the world, not just the humans, and she would be proven right.
During their fight, the Horde eventually decided to march upon the kingdom of Quel’thelas leading Alleria to want to run back home and warn her kin, but Turalyon kept her in line. There was no way that she would make the trip back home on her own, even though Turalyon himself wanted nothing more than to warn them about the upcoming threat. However, to defeat the Horde, they had to be smart and stick together. Part of the Alliance marched to Quel’thelas as the Horde had already begun their assault. The trolls had been enemies with elves for centuries, making them ally with the invading Orcs. From the trees, they swooped down taking out patrols as the Horde made ready for a full assault. Once the Alliance arrived, they could see that fires had spread across the forest and that the Horde had already begun their assault. Turalyon wanted to work together with the elves and coordinate their attacks, so he sent Alleria as a courier back to Quel'thalas to communicate with the High Elves as the Alliance kept the Horde busy. Alleria first ran into her sister Vereesa as a pack of trolls dropped down on top of them. The trolls outnumbered them, but they didn’t know the forest, as well as Vereesa knew. Together they ran to a stream, the trolls got close to catching them, but as they nearly grabbed them, they were shot down by Sylvanas and her troops.
Alleria took one of the Trolls' head with her as she met with the council to convince them of the dangers right at their borders. At first, the council didn’t want to listen, but when they saw the head, they knew that her words were true. Her king, Anestarian Sunstrider was outraged that the trolls dared to invade their lands and he now committed the full might of the High Elves military forces to the Alliance. Lead by Sylvanas and her second in command Lor’thermar Theron, the High Elves and the Alliance crushed the Horde between their two forces combined.
Things were looking up as their plan was working, but the Horde was no pushover. They released ogre magi and even started using dragon fire against their enemies, and the Alliance could not stand that strength. Ultimately, Quel’thelas was just a setback, not being the primary focus of the Horde. They had set their eyes upon the Capital City of Lordaeron. Discovering that, Turalyon was forced to take their troops and chase the Horde before they could take the heart of the Alliance. Sylvanas and her people still had their magic and the Sunwell to protect them, not even dragons were able to penetrate those defenses, so for the moment, their people would be safe. The Horde lay siege to Capital City, and they would have won the war in a day, or two was it not for Gul’dan. Gul’dan split his forces away from the Horde which Forced Doomhammer to send his troops after Gul’dan to take revenge upon this traitor. In the meantime, the Alliance had also cut off the Horde’s route of reinforcements and Turalyon, Sylvanas, Alleria, and all the might of the High Elven army started to assault the Horde forces as they tried to siege the city. These events forced Doomhammer to retreat all the way back to the Blackrock Mountain. The Alliance followed the Horde as the High Elves made sure to clean their forests of the trolls. Not a lot of details are known about this fight, but we do know that Sylvanas lost a lot of her people to the Horde’s invasion, a lot of her family including her little brother Lirath.
Seeing the destruction that the Horde had caused in their lands, Alleria devoted herself to killing every single Orc that she could find. Unlike her sister, Sylvanas, had her forces to lead as they cleaned up their lands from the trolls. Due to their alliance during the War, Sylvanas decided to allow a human to join the ranks of her Farstriders. Nathanos Marris became the first and last of the human ranger lords despite her people objecting against this. Sylvanas didn’t care what her people said, not even Kael’thas Sunstrider was able to force her to send Nathanos away. All these decisions from the rational Ranger-General of Quel'thalas have some fans speculating there was more behind that decision than just skill, but that’s purely speculation from the fans.
Second Horde Invasion
Years later, when the dark portal opened up a second time and the Horde returned for a second invasion, Sylvanas did not join the alliance expedition. Her older sister Alleria did decide to join the troops, but before she left she send out her friend Verana to bring a gift to her sisters. Alleria realized that there was a big chance that they would never return, so she wanted her sisters to have something to remember her by. From a necklace given to her by her parents, she made three lockets: an emerald, a ruby and a sapphire with an inscription for her sisters. Verana told Alleria that she would keep the necklaces safe until Alleria would return and she could give them herself, but as we know Alleria wouldn’t return from her expedition and the gifts were delivered to her sisters.
Warcraft III
Over time, the Alliance itself and their friendship with the High Elves would weaken. With no significant threat to unite them, the kingdoms started to fight amongst each other about where to spend their gold and what to do with the remaining Orcs. These fights amongst themselves meant that the High Elves started to distance themselves from the Human kingdoms, staying more secluded, including Sylvanas and her army. The Burning Legion, which desired to invade Azeroth, had Kil'jaeden prepare for their new attempt to invade the world. Kil'jaeden started to use his new puppet, the Lich King, to make contact with the human wizard Kel’thuzad. Together, they worked on spreading a plague across the kingdom of Lordaeron. This plague did not only kill but also resurrected the dead as forces for the Scourge. The prince of Lordaeron, a young paladin by the name of Arthas Menethil, was sent by his father to investigate reports of this plague. Together with Uther the Lightbringer and Jaina Proudmoore they saw how their people were converted into the undead. Together, managed to kill Kel’thuzad, however, killing the wizard did not stop the plague and the numbers of the undead only grew. Later, at Stratholme, Arthas had to make an impossible choice since the plague had already reached the city disguised as shipments of grain, which the citizens had baked it into bread, having no way to tell who had already eaten from it. Arthas chose to purge the city while Jaina and Uther turned away from him. Inside the town, he met the Dreadlord Malganis who taunted Arthas to meet him in the cold heart of Northrend.
And so he did. Arthas was able to stop Malganys by picking up the cursed blade known as Frostmourne, but such power would cost him dearly. Now he too was listening to the whispers of the Lich King, which told him to go home and take the throne from his father.
The assassination of King Terenas marks the fall of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, with Arthas destroying in mere days what his father had tried to build and protect in years. His next mission was to reclaim the remains of Kel’thuzad, him which he had killed, to resurrect him as a lich. However, to do that they would need an incredibly powerful source of power. The closest being the fabled Sunwell, located in Quel'thalas.
Sylvanas received reports from a scout that the undead were marching and naturally the high elves had heard rumors about the plague spreading across the humans' lands, but they had thought they would be safe in their lands. Quel’thelas had been able to stand against trolls, orcs and even dragons, surely this new threat wouldn’t be a problem. They had made this mistake before, only this time the error would cost them dearly.
Sylvanas met Arthas on the field of battle as she tried to defend the first Elf Gate, but the might of the Scourge was incredible. With every slain enemy, their forces grew, as Arthas raised them back to life. Her fallen forces were either converted into the Scourge or their dead bodies used as ammunition to throw at her. Reluctantly, Sylvanas gave the order to fall back to their second gate, an order she had never imagined she would have to give.
The kingdom of Quel’thelas had always been well defended by magic, but a traitor from within, Dar’khan Drathir had told Arthas about the Key of Three Moons and how to break through the magical defenses. Blowing up the bridge has bought Sylvanas some precious time to warn her people, but it did not stop the Scourge. Arthas filled the water with corpses to create a bridge which allowed his troops to move further. Sylvanas knew that one way or another they would have to make a stand against this butcher, and as they prepared themselves, she thought back to a time where the world was right. Where she, her sisters and her brother loved to sing a song together .
Sylvanas fought bravely against the Scourge, and she was now face to face with Arthas. She attacked and tried her best, but, ultimately, she failed when Frostmourne pieced her. And then it went away. It all went away. The coldness, the stench, the searing pain, it was soft and warm and dark and calm and comforting, and Sylvanas permitted herself to sink into the welcoming darkness. At last, she could rest, could lay down the arms she had borne for so long in service to her people...
And then—
Agony shot through her, agony such as she had never known, and Sylvanas suddenly knew that no physical pain she had ever endured could hold a pale candle to this torment. This feeling was an agony of the spirit, of her soul leaving her lifeless form and being trapped.
Arthas denied Sylvanas the peace of death. He ripped her soul out of her body, turned her into a banshee under his full control and he kept her body locked away in a chest just for a little bit of extra torment.
Sylvanas was forced to watch in horror as Arthas took down her city and killed her king. Anasterian Sunstrider tried to defend his people, but he was over 3000 years old, and he was no match for the might of Frostmourne. Sylvanas had screamed before when Arthas had tortured her, but now she let out a scream like none she had ever before. The pain and agony of watching her people fall poured out of her and against her will she did even more damage. Her banshee scream shattered armor and made her people bleed out of their ears and die. Arthas had succeeded in his mission, and he claimed the Sunwell.
Sylvanas couldn’t believe that all of this destruction, the brutality with her people, and destruction of her homeland was done only to bring Kel’thuzad back to life. She was sickened by all of this and the only thing that gave her a little breather from her agony was to see how Dar’khan was foolish enough to try and betray Arthas as he had betrayed his people. Arthas showed no mercy and took Dar’khans life.
Kil’jaeden’s plan of sending the Lich King to Azeroth was to weaken any resistance on the planet and to open the way for a new Legion invasion. Kel’thuzad was charged with the task of summoning the demon lord Archimonde to Azeroth once more, a job that he completed flawlessly.
The Lich King did not work willingly for Kil’jaeden. In secret, he worked on his own plans to undermine the Legion, including having Arthas pointing Illidan towards the Skul of Gul’dan. This skull would give Illidan the power needed to take out the powerful dreadlord Tichondrius and, by extension, provide the Night Elves, Humans and Orcs a chance to defeat the mighty Archimonde.
This plan ultimately prevented the Legion's invasion, but Arthas role in this wasn't known, not even the by other dreadlords left in command of the Scourge. Arthas saw how Archimonde fell at the battle for Mount Hiyal and quickly made his way back to his kingdom, Lordaeron.
But what King Arthas didn’t count on was that Ner'zhul’s powers were draining from him. Casting out Frostmourne from his throne had created a crack in his ice, which was further worsened by Illidan’s attempt at destroying Icecrown, guided by Kil'jaeden. The Lich King informed Arthas that danger was approaching and he quickly had to come back to Northrend to merge with him so have his full power. With that, Arthas prepared for the journey.
With his powers diminished, Sylvanas found that her will was her own again. She no longer heard the whispers of the Lich King and the time of her vengeance was upon her. She met with the dreadlords, and they made their plans to overthrow the king.
Sylvanas had been able to recover her body from the chest in which Arthas had stored it. Her banshees lead Arthas to the place where she would finally have her revenge. Kel’thuzad saved Arthas’s life, and he would make the journey to Northrend as Kel’thuzad stayed behind to rule his kingdom. At some point, Kel’thuzad relocated to the floating citadel of Naxxramas, leaving the Kingdom without a ruler.
Revenge, that’s what Sylvanas wants at this point but to take out Arthas, she’ll first have to secure her home base. The dreadlords are not pleased with her declining their invitation, and Sylvanas knows that they’ll strike soon. With her banshee sisters, she takes over some of the local population like ogres, gnolls, and murlocs. These forces proved to be powerful enough to take on Varimathras’s forces, but the dreadlord makes Sylvanas an offer. He betrays his brothers to join Sylvanas.
Varimathras leads Sylvanas directly to his brother Detheroc, and there they find out that Detheroc used his powers to control the humans, amongst them general Garithos. Sylvanas uses her banshees to take control of the humans, open the gates from the inside and she takes out the armies before they even realize what hit them. Taking out Detheroc released the humans from his spell and Sylvanas makes a deal with Garithos to strike the last remaining enemy, Balnazzar.
All 3 of them strike at Balnazzar’s forces and the manage to take the capital city from him. However, Sylvanas has one final test for Varimathras. Sylvanas has Varimathras slay his brother, something that is forbidden among the Nathrezim, to prove his loyalty. Varimathras reluctantly does it, being afterward instructed to kill Garithos as well, which he does without even thinking.
Sylvanas
The capital city is ours, but we are no longer part of the Scourge. From here on out, we shall be known as the Forsaken. We will find our own path in this world, dreadlord... and slaughter anyone who stands in our way.
And so Sylvanas created a home to those who were able to step away from the Lich King’s control. The Forsaken rallied around their Banshee Queen with their primary goal of getting revenge upon the one who placed this curse upon them. Arthas’ journey would lead to him merging with the Lich King as Sylvanas reached out to find more allies and secure her position in the world.
Folks & Fairy Tales of Azeroth
When Sylvanas was killed by Arthas, her soul was meant to go to Ardenweald before it was ripped back to turn her into the Banshee Queen. However, not all of her soul made it back from the Shadowlands. Frostmourne, when used in anger, has the ability to shatter a soul and tear off a fragment. A fragment of Sylvanas's soul was torn away from her and delivered to the Maw, where it fell into the possession of the Jailer.
World of Warcraft
Forsaken Race Classic Introduction
Bound to the iron will of the tyrant Lich King, the vast undead armies of the Scourge seek to eradicate all life on Azeroth. Led by the banshee Sylvanas Windrunner, a group of renegades broke away from the Scourge and freed themselves of the Lich King's domination. Known by some as the Forsaken, this group fights a constant battle not only to retain their freedom from the Scourge but also to slaughter those who would hunt them as monsters.
With Sylvanas as their Banshee Queen, the Forsaken have built a dark stronghold beneath the ruins of Lordaeron’s former capital city. This hidden 'Undercity' forms a sprawling labyrinth that stretches beneath the haunted woods of the Tirisfal Glades. Though the very land is cursed, the zealous humans of the Scarlet Crusade still cling to their scattered holdings, obsessed with eradicating the undead and retaking their homeland.
Sylvanas and her forsaken had but one mission, to take revenge and kill Arthas. Defeating the dreadlords was a significant step, but they would need more allies. Sylvanas send out several messages trying to find some allegiance for her undead, but most of the world saw them as monsters and only wanted them dead.
Warchief Thrall was convinced by Hamuul Runetotem that there was potential for redemption in Sylvanas her people. Thrall fully realized the sinister nature of the forsaken, but he also trusted Hamuul, and he allowed the Forsaken into his Horde. This alliance did not only increase the Forsaken’s chances of victory against the Lich King and anyone else who tried to take them on, like the Scarlet Crusade. It also gave the Horde a foothold in the Eastern Kingdoms.
During one of her journeys, Sylvanas found her way back to Quel’thelas. Some way, somehow the traitor Dark’khan Drathir managed to survive Arthas’s punishment, and he was trying to reclaim the remaining of the powers of the Sunwell, which was mostly destroyed after Arthas used it to resurrect Kel’thuzad. Sylvanas does her best to take out Dark’khan, but not even her banshee scream was able to stop him. In the end, Dar’khan is killed by the powers of the Sunwell itself, now in the form of Anveena, and Sylvanas promises to keep Anveena’s identity a secret. Dar’khan would prove to be near impossible to kill since during the Burning Crusade he returns one more. This time, adventurers were put on the task of collecting his head during the Blood Elf starting zone quests.
Nathanos Marris, the first and last of the human ranger lords, fell to the Scourge and eventually, he became undead (
吞咽者拉姆斯登
). He joined the Forsaken and, from the start, is very loyal to Sylvanas which further supports the fan speculation that there was something more between Sylvanas and Nathanos. Nathanos was still seen as a hero of the Alliance, and the Alliance adventurers were put on the quest to restore order and release Nathanos from his undead curse. A small army was required to take this ranger lord down, but he managed to survive the encounter by feigning his death (
重铸秩序
). These days, Nathanos trains new forsaken in the ways of the Hunter.
In order to increase their strength for their quest to destroy the Lich King, Sylvanas created The Royal Apothecary Society. They were working on a new form of plague which would not only wipe out the scourge, but also any other kind of life. The other races of the Horde believed that they were working on a cure for their undead illness, but in truth, they performed horrible experiments on both the living and the dead. Nothing would stand in Sylvans her way of getting revenge.
The Burning Crusade
The remaining of High Elves that survived Arthas' assault in Quel'thalas decided to call themselves Blood Elves, in honor of all those who had fallen while trying to defend their land against Arthas and the Scourge. Officially people were told that Sylvanas had just died with the rest of them, but rumor had it that there was more going on, that Sylvanas was now a Banshee Queen.
Sylvanas still felt some connection to her people, which led her to play a massive role in getting the Blood Elves into the Horde. Besides that, she also offered the support of the Forsaken to secure the land against any remaining Scourge forces. The Blood Elves first refused her offer thinking that it was some trick, but eventually, they let her in, and they became a substantial part of the Horde. As the Blood Elves solved the issues plaguing their homelands of Eversong Woods and Ghostlands (
叛徒的毁灭
), they gained the trust of their new allies and officially joined the Horde (
部落的特使
).
During their quests, Blood Elves adventurers can find a necklace at the Windrunner Spire, the same necklace once given to Sylvanas by her older sister, Alleria (
女王的项链
). You can bring the collar back to the Dark Lady, and at first, she says that the necklace and her sister are a long dead memory, but she can’t hold up that mask for very long. Her sister still holds a spot in her dark heart and Sylvanas sings the Lament of the Highborne as she remembers her old life (
幽暗城之旅
).
Wrath of the Lich King
Five years took place between Arthas merging with the Lich King and him waking up to strike out at the world once more. Sylvanas and her people were able to invent a plague that did kill not only the living but also the undead, Forsaken and Scourge alike. Even though Sylvanas had regained control, she still felt a particular link with Arthas, and when he woke up, she could feel it in her soul.
Thrall was cautious and reluctant to give the order to assault Northrend, but once the Scourge struck out at Orgrimmar, he saw no other way. Garrosh Hellscream was put in charge of leading the Horde into the cold and, of course, Sylvanas also joined the assault. The Blood Elves were also reluctant to support the war against Arthas since they just had to deal with a civil war and Lor’themar did not want to send his people off to war again. Sylvanas made sure that they would carry their weight in the horde and she paid a little visit to Lor’themar.
Lor’themar had no choice, and he devoted his people to a new war. In Northrend, the bulk of the Horde lead by Garrosh assaulted the land starting from the Borean Tundra while Sylvanas and the Forsaken attacked from the Howling Fjord. Under the name of Hand of Vengeance, they worked on perfecting the plague while taking the land.
The Wrathgate and the Battle for Undercity
The campaign against the Lich King seemed to be going fine, the Alliance and Horde were even working together, but at the Wrathgate, Grand Apothecary Putress enacted the plague (
返回安加萨
).
Putress used the plague against the Scourge, the Alliance, and even the Horde. It isn't entirely sure if the attack was ordered or not by Sylvannas herself, but events that follow show Varimathras and Putress working together in overthrowing their queen and taking the Undercity from her.
This betrayal meant that Sylvanas had to return to secure her home base before she would be able to deal with Arthas. Together with Thrall, Vol’jin and several members of the Horde they charged into the Undercity and took on Varimathras who was busy trying to summon something into Azeroth. The voice files that you hear while fighting Varimathras are named Sargeras, so it seems like the dreadlord never truly gave up his connection to the Legion (
).
This betrayal also struck the Alliance, with the death of many of their forces, including the Alliance hero Bolvar Fordragon, so they had their reasons for assaulting the city. They took out Putress and rushed into the throne room where they found Thrall and other Horde forces at the defeated corpse of Varimathras (
).
As the tensions rose, Jaina teleported Varian and the Alliance away from the city before more damage was done. Thrall gave the Undercity back to Sylvanas, but he had learned his lesson. He left behind several of his Kor’kron guards to guard the city while also keeping an eye on the Dark Lady to make sure that something like the Wrathgate would never happen again.
Undercity was secure once more, so it was time for Sylvanas to make her way to Northrend and confront the Lich King. Together with Horde adventurers, she made her way into the frozen halls deep inside Icecrown Citadel.
The Halls of Reflection
With the main forces focused on attacking Icecrown Citadel's main gates, Sylvanas and a particular group of adventurers sneaked behind the complex to find a place called Halls of Reflection to obtain more information. On their way, they discovered that Halls of Reflection is also the place where the Lich King leaves Frostmourne (
霜之哀伤
). With this information, Sylvanas decides to immediately rush into the Halls, to destroy the accursed sword, running directly into a trap.
There, they find Frostmourne. However, they also find the Lich King himself. Arthas fully merging with Ner’zhul has increased his powers, and Sylvanas is no match for him on her own, forcing her group to flee. It’s up to the Horde and the Alliance to tear down the walls of Icecrown and bring the king to his knee’s (
巫妖王之怒
).
Icecrown Citadel and the Lich King's Death
With the combined might of the Horde and the Alliance, the Lich King eventually falls, freeing all of the souls that were imprisoned within Frostmourne.
Those that have done the
影之哀伤
questline are able to get unique items after defeating the Lich King. One of them is the
希尔瓦娜斯之血
, a relic Arthas kept from the time he killed the then Ranger-General of Quel'thalas. Upon returning this to Sylvanas, she realizes her mission is finally complete (
希尔瓦娜斯的复仇
).
Sylvanas
So it is done. I had not dared to trust my senses – too many times has the Lich King made me to be a fool. Finally, he has been made to pay for the atrocities he imposed upon my people. May Azeroth never fail to remember the terrible price we paid for our weakness.. .for our pride. But what now, hero? What of those freed from his grasp, but still shackled to their mortal coils? Leave me; I have much to ponder.”
Sylvanas' entire storyline since her first death was to take revenge on the Lich King, for what he had done to her and her people. With Arthas taken out, her after-life goal was reached.
Sylvanas then made her way to the top of Icecrown Citadel after these events, and she found out that a new lich king was placed upon the throne. Bolvar Fordragon had taken up the burden to be the Jailer of the Damned, but it didn’t matter to Sylvanas. None of it mattered anymore, her undead life’s goal was complete, so Sylvanas looked down and saw liberation.
Throwing herself from the top of the Citadel, Sylvanas sought to embrace the cold hands of death, but the Val'kyr, the most loyal servants of the Lich King, had other plans in mind for the Banshee Queen. The Val'kyr communed with her. They showed her visions of her past, how she used her troops as arrows in a quiver, shot out to accomplish her goals. How her Forsaken were the same to her, arrows aimed at Arthas’s heart. Visions of a possible future where Garrosh used the bulk of the Forsaken forces to take down Gilneas and how the Alliance retook the capital city of Lordaeron as her people threw themselves into bonfires.
All of it didn’t matter to Sylvanas, all she wanted was to escape the eternal torment, and she threw herself off the top of Icecrown Citadel. The Val’kyr tried to stop her, keep her in limbo and offer her a choice. These visions were not to judge Sylvanas, but to show her what could happen, what could happen to her people.
"Let them perish!", Sylvanas cried. "I am finished with them".
The Val'kyr had no choice but to let Sylvanas go and see for herself what the afterlife had in store.
The Servitude of the Val'kyr
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner tumbled in a free fall. Not in the physical sense; her body had been obliterated at the foot of Icecrown Citadel. It was her spirit that plunged, lost, like a rudderless ship in a storm. How had she gotten here? She couldn't remember. Had Arthas killed her? Had she committed suicide? Had she been sent to judgment by the Val'kyr? Time was meaningless here. Her whole life seemed not a series of events but a single instant, a pinpoint flash of consciousness in an infinite void.
She saw only darkness.
And then she felt—truly felt, for the first time in a long while. She recoiled in agony. Here she was, her spirit once again feeling whole, only to feel it suffer. To feel once more, just to feel abject pain. Cold. Hopelessness.
Fear.
There were others in the darkness. Apparitions she didn't recognize, because nothing so terrible could exist in the world of the living. Claws tore at her, but she had no mouth with which to scream. Eyes looked at her, but she couldn't look back.
Regret.
She sensed a familiar presence. She recognized it — the taunting voice that had once held her in its grasp. Arthas? Arthas Menethil? Here? His essence rushed to her, desperate, then shrank away in horrified recognition — the boy who would be Lich King. Just a scared little blond child, reaping the aftermath of a lifetime of mistakes. If any part of Sylvanas's soul were not at that moment torn and tormented, she might have even felt—for the first time—the slightest glimmer of pity for him.
In the grand landscape of all the world's suffering and all the evils of the infinite, the Lich King was… insignificant.
Now the others had her. Surrounded her. Gleeful, tormenting, tearing at her consciousness, delighting in her suffering.
Horror.
This destiny was to be her eternity: the endless void, the dark, unknown realm of anguish. Condemned to the same afterlife as Arthas.
Hell, or at least Warcraft's version of hell, that’s what waits for Sylvanas on the other side. The nine final Val'kyr still bound to the Lich King’s will came down for her and offered her a choice. They would join Sylvanas, be free of Bolvar’s will and even take Sylvanas her place in hell as they would be forever bound together. Not only would the Valkyr keep Sylvanas alive, but they would also give her the power to resurrect the dead into new forces for the forsaken.
Sylvanas made the pact with the Valkyr, and the first one took her place, Annhylde, as Sylvanas carved out a new destiny for her and the Forsaken. They would no longer merely be arrows in a quiver; now they were her bulwark against the infinite. Together with her eight remaining Valkyr, Sylvanas intents to never return to that hell she had witnessed. “
I intend to live forever.
”
Cataclysm
Cataclysm updated Forsaken character introduction
Though Lady Sylvanas and the Forsaken finally took vengeance upon their hated enemy, the Lich King, their dark crusade in Northrend proved costly. Betrayed by Grand Apothecary Putress at the Battle of the Wrathgate, the Forsaken's devious plague of death was unleashed upon both the Alliance and Horde to calamitous event. Unbeknownst to Sylvanas, Putress and his demonic ally Varimathras had taken control of the Undercity. As a result, the Forsaken were wrongfully blamed for the traitorous atrocities. Though the Undercity was eventually retaken, Sylvanas and her followers still bear the weight of Putress's sins. Mistrusted by the other members of the Horde, the Forsaken must prove their loyalty to the cause and redeem themselves from their supposed treachery.
To this end, Sylvanas has bolstered her defenses within the Tirisfal Glades and readied her undead forces for any contingency. As one of the Forsaken, you must use your cunning and viciousness to slay any who would pose a threat to Sylvanas's rule. Be it undead, human, or otherwise.
Silverpine Forest and Gilneas
In one of the visions shown by the Val'kyr, Sylvanas saw how Garrosh was throwing away her forsaken troops to take Gilneas. Upon returning, Sylvanas told the Warchief that they would take Gilneas, but they would do it her way. No one would squander her forsaken away, she needed them as her bulwark against the infinite and not even the Warchief would take them away from her.
The events of Cataclysm made it so that the wall that previously separated Gilneas from the rest of the Eastern Kingdoms, the Greymane Wall, was split open. Sylvanas' plans were to use Gilneas as a port for the Forsaken and thought that the Gilneans would be easy enough to dispatch. However, Sylvanas did not count on the fact that the Gilneans managed to control the Worgen curse, and the curse made them immune to undeath.
Sylvanas led a force to attack Gilneas, led by the Gilnean traitors Baron Ashbury and Lord Walden (
风暴海崖的背叛
). During the battle that ensued, the Gilnean forces managed to drive back the Forsaken forces, but at the cost of the life of the Prince of Gilneas, Liam Greymane (
吉尔尼斯城保卫战
). This act would lead his father, Genn Greymane, in a vengeful crusade against Sylvanas (
追踪希尔瓦娜斯
). However, thanks to the aftermath effects of the Cataclysm, as well as the Horde's efforts, the Gilneans were forced to evacuate the zone, now inhabitable.
Meanwhile, Sylvanas presented the Warchief with her new allies.
Garrosh is not pleased with Sylvanas’s actions, but she doesn’t care what the Warchief has to say (
酋长驾到
). The Valkyr are her most powerful allies, able to resurrect the fallen and make them fight for the Banshee Queen, something Sylvanas makes full use of as the war against Gilneas and the rest of the area continued.
The Val'kyr were deployed to convert the humans at Fenris Isle into Forsaken (
崛起吧,被遗忘者
), but Crowley made use of this attack by offering the humans their Worgen blood. Embracing the Worgen curse would make the humans immune to the Val'kyr's magic and prevent them from turning into Forsaken. Even though they hated the idea of becoming Worgen, they still accepted it since it was better than to become undead (
胜利大逃亡
).
Around this time, Genn Greymane had made his way to Stormwind and allied himself with the Alliance. King Varian Wrynn realized the threat of the Forsaken and deployed some of his finest troops to the liberation of Gilneas. The 7th Legion, an elite force of Alliance soldiers, was sent out to take back the city, and they were successful, but Sylvanas had more plans in mind (
谁下的令?
).
She had adventurers recover the corpse of Lord Vincent Godfrey, while her troops recovered his lieutenants Lord Walden and Baron Ashbury (
一个名叫高弗雷的人
). They were resurrected as Forsaken and Godfrey seemed to be more than willing to serve the Dark Lady. He had always said that it was better to be dead than to serve a Worgen (
复活吧,高弗雷
).
The adventurers were then put on the ask of taking Ambermill, one of the last Dalaran settlements in the land. Rumor had it that the mages at Ambermill were waiting for more Alliance reinforcements before turning on the forsaken, so they had to be taken out before they became a more significant threat. They too were turned into the undead adding more and more forces to Sylvanas' army (
超次元战争:第一章
).
The 7th Legion and the Worgen were not yet defeated though, and Godfrey and his men were set on the task of collecting Lorna Crowley, daughter of Lord Darius Crowley who was leading the Gilneas Liberation Front (
女王密令
). Lorna was still unaffected by the Worgen curse which meant that she was vulnerable to Sylvanas and her Valkyr. Sylvanas threatened Crowley and told him that if they wouldn’t hand over Gilneas, that she would turn Lorna into one of her forsaken. Crowley had no choice, and he surrendered the city to Sylvanas.
Sylvanas' Second Death
It sounded like a victory; however, Godfrey had other plans in mind. He shot Sylvanas point blank in her back, ending her life. The orc Cromush and adventurers present quickly overpowered Godfrey and his men forcing them to retreat to Shadowfang Keep, while the Val'kyr worked on bringing Sylvanas back to life. The first time Sylvanas had killed herself, only one Valkyr had to take her place but apparently that Valkyr was more powerful than the other ones since this time it took all 3 of them to bring Sylvanas back to life. Sylvanas was furious at Godfrey and swore that she would get her revenge as she made her way back to the Undercity to recover (
死灰之城
).
Sylvanas is revived thanks to the sacrifice of three of her Val'kyr - 5 Val'kyr remain.
Godfrey would be taken care of in the Shadowfang Keep dungeon, while Gilneas is still being fought over (
甜蜜、无情的复仇
). Blizzard hasn’t made an official story about this, but several tweets suggest that even though Crowley surrendered, several of his people did not. They still battled over the future of Gilneas which we see in the battleground. Later on, Creed shows up who was part of the legendary rogue questline, Wrathion sends rogues to take him out, and Creed’s forces left the city for a safer place. Time will tell who might hold Gilneas in the future, for now, it’s still disputed.
Southshore and Andorhal
More territories would be conquered by the Forsaken, amongst them the town of Southshore at Hillsbrad Foothill, which was obliterated with use of the plague. However, one of the most significant battles was at Andorhal, in the Western Plaguelands.
Both the Alliance and the Horde fought over this territory not only with each other but also with some of the remaining Scourge forces. The Alliance was lead by the death knight Thassarian while the horde was lead by Koltira Deathweaver. Both Thassarian and Koltira are members of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, and as such, friendly to each other.
Thassarian and Koltira meet on the battlefield, and after taking out Darkmaster Gandling, they decide to retreat and regroup their forces (
通灵学院
). Thassarian warns his old friend that they are brothers no longer. Both of them have allied themselves with opposing factions, and eventually, they will have to face each other on the battlefield for the fate of Andorhal.
Darkmaster Gandling says: Your life is forfeit.
Thassarian yells: For the Alliance!
Koltira Deathweaver yells: For the Horde!
Darkmaster Gandling says: Enough of this. The Cult of the Damned doesn't need Andorhal. This worthless city is yours to fight over.
---
Thassarian says: Koltira! I had heard rumors that you were here in Lordaeron.
Koltira Deathweaver says: You heard correctly, Thassarian. I wanted to give you a chance to kill me again.
Thassarian says: It looks like it may have to come to that.
Koltira Deathweaver says: Yes, it may... but not today. With the Scourge out of the way, I plan to pull my troops back and regroup.
Thassarian says: I see. Then I will do the same.
Thassarian says: But you must be aware, Koltira: we are brothers no longer. You are a member of the Horde now, and I of the Alliance.
Thassarian says: Eventually, we will fight this battle for Andorhal, and only one of us can walk off the battlefield victorious.
Koltira Deathweaver says: Yes, I know. And don't think I'll go easy on you.
Thassarian says: Very well. I look forward to it.
Thassarian/Koltira Deathweaver whispers: You are not to speak to ANYONE about the agreement that was made today, <player>. Consider this an order from your direct superior.
We’re told not to say a word about this little arrangement, but Sylvanas is no fool. Disguised as the Forsaken Lindsay Ravensun, she sends adventures on the quest to use her Val'kyr and convert the local farmers into Forsaken troops (
光是死还不够
). The Alliance also recruits farmers to help with the battle, and these farmers attack first, despite Thassarian's orders (
这就是我们的军队
).
It doesn't matter to Sylvanas though, she has seen enough of Koltira’s weakness and reveals herself before the Horde adventurer (
琳塞·鸦日,现身
). Sylvanas and her Val'kyr quickly turned the tide, winning Andorhal for the Horde (
安多哈尔,彻底了结
). However, this was not a complete victory for the Horde, as one of Sylvanas' original nine Val'kyr, Aradne, was slain by the Alliance during the battle (
阿娜德尼
).
Aradne is killed by the Alliance adventurers during the Battle for Andorhal - 4 Val'kyr remain.
The Forsaken had won the Battle for Andorhal, but Sylvanas was not pleased. The campaign should have been over days ago when they defeated the Scourge, so she grabs Koltira and sends him to the Undercity. Arthas had failed to control the death knights, Sylvanas found them to be far too weak, but when she was finished with him, his weaknesses will be gone (
清算
).
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner yells: Koltira! Your queen summons you!
Koltira Deathweaver says: Your highness, I deliver to you... Andorhal.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: Enough of this insolence. Do you think that I'm blind to everything that goes on outside of the Undercity?
Koltira Deathweaver says: I... your majesty, we were victorious!
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: No thanks to you. Andorhal should have been ours days ago, when we defeated the Scourge.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: I know your secret, Koltira. I'm aware of your friendship with the Alliance death knight, Thassarian.
Koltira Deathweaver says: Y... your majesty...
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: Arthas clearly failed when he created his death knights. You are still weak.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: Fortunately, I have agents that can help you... erase this weakness. Beneath the Undercity you go.
Koltira Deathweaver yells: NO!
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: Shh... quiet, death knight. When I'm finished with you, your fear will be gone.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: You can thank me later.
Mists of Pandaria
Sylvanas and the Forsaken would take a step back after these events as the story of the Cataclysm would focus more on Thrall and the dragon aspects. Mists of Pandaria opens up with the bombing of Theramore, in which Warchief Garrosh Hellscream had the Horde attack Theramore. He asked for their armies to gather and Sylvanas had sent some of her forces lead by Captain Frandis Farley, but she didn’t join the battle herself.
The troops, however, were gathered merely to draw out as many of the Alliance forces as Garrosh could so that he could wipe them all out with a mana bomb created from the Focusing Iris. This plan was one of the first steps of Garrosh irritating the other leaders of the Horde, and when he had his soldiers assassinate Vol’jin, it was time for action. Vol’jin led the rebellion against Garrosh and his true horde while the Alliance and the rest of the Horde leaders joined for the Siege of Orgrimmar.
Siege of Orgrimmar
During the Siege, we see Sylvanas herself during the Galakras encounter, and just before the battle, she makes an interesting offer to Lor’themar, to raise the fallen Blood Elves as Forsaken to fight against Garrosh's forces. Lor'themar, however, energetically refuses it, threatening Sylvanas if she were to do it. This offer, however, implies that her Val'kyr can resurrect more than just Humans.
Lor'themar Theron says: Bladefist Bay is fortified -- by the Sunwell, we're getting slaughtered!
Lor'themar Theron says: Heroes. Port over to the docks and take out their shore defenses. Put a stop to this bloodshed.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: I can raise your dead, Regent-Lord. Your rangers can fight again.
Lor'themar Theron says: Sylvanas! You will leave our corpses alone, or I will deal with you here and now.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: I'm sorry to see your lack of commitment... What of the human corpses?
Lor'themar Theron says: ... well, I suppose that's between you and the Alliance, isn't it?
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: Rise, my angels! Let your screams fill the streets of Orgrimmar with TERROR!
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner says: Garrosh really has gone all-out this time, hasn't he? I expected more spikes, honestly.
With the aftermath of Siege of Orgrimmar, Vol’jin becomes the Warchief after Garrosh is taken down. Sylvanas, however, isn't fond of the new Warchief and declares that she won't take orders from a Troll. However, she decides to remain loyal to the Horde to see where it will go.
Lor’themar, however, catches onto Sylvanas, knowing she doesn't trust or follows Vol'jin. He understands her plans and hopes Vol'jin can keep the Horde together.
War Crimes
After the Siege of Orgrimmar, Garrosh is placed in a trial in Pandaria, with Taran Zhu as his judge and the August Celestials as the jury. The Horde and Alliance each have to present one member to either defend Garrosh or to make clear that he deserves death.
Sylvanas offers herself to be Garrosh's defender since it's well known that she often disagreed with Garrosh. The Alliance would never accuse her of going soft, but Vol’jin declines the offer. They’re looking for someone to defend Garrosh and Sylvanas would be a great accuser, but she couldn’t offer Garrosh a fair defense, not the one the Celestials would be expecting. In the end, it’s Tyrande Whisperwind that becomes the accuser while Baine needs to do his best to try and defend Garrosh.
Sylvanas couldn’t believe that they would go with this farce of a trial, but Baine did his best to honor his Warchief's request and defend Garrosh. He did such a good job that Sylvanas lost her temper as they made their way out of court. She even went as far as to call Baine a boot-licking Alliance sympathizer, but that was one step too far. Baine, a mighty warrior, seized Sylvanas by her arm, and she realized that if he wanted to, he could snap her arm like a twig.
“
I am not an alliance sympathizer he said in a deep, calm voice. Nor do I lick boots.
”, said Baine. Vol’jin told Baine to let Sylvanas go, and he explained to Sylvanas that Baine was doing what him, the Warchief had asked of him. Her wish of seeing Garrosh dead would come, she just had to let it happen in its own time.
Sylvanas, however, had no intention of sitting around and waiting. She knew that even the slightest chance of Garrosh getting away with his head on his shoulders was too much, so she started to think of a plan to make death come on her terms. Just as she was pondering these thoughts, a messenger arrived giving her a scroll and a small package.
“
Once we were on the same side, perhaps we can be again.
” was the message on the scroll. Inside the package, Sylvanas found a necklace, similar to the one brought back to her by adventurers. The inscription was also similar to her own necklace; only this one was addressed to her younger sister. “
To Vereesa. With love, Alleria...
”
The Windrunner reunion fans had waited for years had finally happened at least with one of the sisters. Vereesa had heard rumors about Sylvanas' fate, of course, but she had never truly dealt with it. The trial was the first time that the two Windrunner sisters locked eyes again and Vereesa had made contact for one simple reason, making sure that Garrosh, the monster that killed her husband, would not survive the trial.
They met up at Windrunner Spire in the Ghostlands, where Vereesa told Sylvanas that poison would be the best way to go. Garrosh was under heavy guard so an assassin would not be able to reach him, but even prisoners have to eat. Sylvanas would supply the poison while Vereesa would put it in Garrosh’s meal, but before any planning and scheming could happen, Sylvanas had to know. She had to know why Vereesa who had married a human, had found a home within the Alliance was now going against the very laws uphold by that faction. Vereesa tried to lie at first, but eventually, the truth came out. He took Rhonin from her. That was all. That was everything.
Sylvanas stepped forward and embraced her sister, and Vereesa clung to her like the drowning woman she was. Sylvanas and Vereesa made their plans to poison Garrosh, and as they did, they grew closer. Sylvanas felt emotions she hadn’t felt in years, and she realized that she had been very lonely all these years. One day she even asked Vereesa to join her in the Undercity.
Together, they could make their own law and crush any who would stand in their way. Vereesa accepted Sylvanas her offer, but what she didn’t know was that Sylvanas planned on killing her and bring her back to life. The Forsaken would not be willing to follow the orders from one of the living, and in death, Vereesa would see the world as Sylvanas did. They would never have to be lonely again, and Vereesa seemed to be more than willing to join the Undercity until she remembered her two children.
She had been so focused on getting revenge, that she didn’t stop to think that the Undercity would be no place for her two growing boys. They would have to be left behind, and it would be the memory of her two sons that would ruin all their plans.
Vereesa had poisoned Garrosh’s meal just as they had planned, but when she made her way back, she ran into Anduin who was just about to go and talk with Garrosh. He reminded her of her sons, and she saw this moment as the Light being at work. She told Anduin that she had poisoned Garrosh’s meal and that it was up to him to decide whether or not to warn him. With that information left behind, she made her way back to Dalaran to hold her two beautiful boys and naturally Anduin did the only thing he could. He slapped the bowl of food out of Garrosh’s hands just before he was about to eat. It would be up to the Celestials to decide what to do with Garrosh. A messenger was sent to Vereesa with the news, and she said: “
Tell him... Rhonin thanks him
.”
Sylvanas was also informed about her sister's actions, but she wasn’t as pleased. She felt betrayed by her little sister, and she rode out into the forest to vent her frustrations, to murder any that were unlucky enough to cross her path simply because she couldn’t vent it on Vereesa, her sister, her little moon. Sylvanas fell to her knees, buried her face in her hands, and wept, wept like a broken child who had lost everything, everything.
Little moon...
!
Gradually the sobbing ceased, and the familiar peace of coldness drove out the heated hurting. Sylvanas rose, licking blood from her lips. She should have known. The pain she had felt at first, when she dare foolishly permit herself to hope for something different from what she had now, to feel something for another...to feel love again... It had been a warning. A warning that she was no longer made for feelings such as hope, or love, or trust, or joy. These things were for the living; these things were for the weak. In the end, they would slip through her fingers, trickling away like the violet remnants of Jaina Proudmoore’s apprentice Kinndy, and she would be left alone. Again, and always. Calmed now through her tears and slaughter, she remounted her horse. Sylvanas Windrunner, the Banshee Queen of the Forsaken, would never again make the mistake of believing she could love.
Legion
Warlords of Draenor ended with alternate-reality Gul’dan being sent over by Archimonde into our reality. Maiev and Khadgar uncover that the warlock has opened a massive gateway for the Legion and Khadgar goes about warning the world. Despite the ending of the Cataclysm where Varian said they should contain Sylvanas, no real action was taken by Varian; instead, we see him working together with Sylvanas in an unexplained allegiance. His son Anduin is teaching him patience, tolerance, and faith. Enough so to work together with Sylvanas and the Horde for the initial assault upon the Broken Shore.
The rest of both Alliance and Horde forces quickly follow the Banshee Queen, but unknown to all was that this was a death trap. The Horde is unable to hold its ground. Thrall is crawling on the ground, and the demons strike Warchief Vol’jin down.
Sylvanas, Warchief of the Horde
The Horde can not die this day, so Sylvanas calls in her Val'kyr and makes her retreat, abandoning the Alliance on the shores. Varian is forced to sacrifice himself so that the others can escape. The sacrifice of Varian meant that his son, Anduin, is now the High King of the Alliance. However, that’s not the only change in leadership that happens. Vol'jin falls ill to the demon's poison, which ends up taking his life. On Vol'jin's death bed, a name is whispered to him: Sylvanas, who is then elected as Warchief of the Horde.
Sylvanas
Vol’jin is dead. Who among you will help me avenge him?
Stormheim
After the events on the Broken Shore, some members of the Alliance want to put away their hatred and focus on the war against the Legion, but some of them have old hatreds burning deep within their hearts, and they are not willing to forgive or forget. Genn Greymane and Admiral Rogers have a history with Sylvanas and the Horde. In the case of Rogers, she lost her hometown of Southshore to the Forsaken and the plague, despite her best efforts during Mists of Pandaria. Greymane has lost his city of Gilneas as well as his son to the Banshee Queen.
Naturally, these two are the best to send on a mission into Stormheim where they know that the Aegis of Aggramar can be found, but they’re also aware that the Forsaken fleet has set sail from Durotar and they suspect that Sylvanas may be among them (
格雷迈恩的尝试
). One of the ships that joined Sylvanas on her mission is separated from the rest by a massive storm.
They end up within Azsuna, and the captain's log talks about the Warchiefs plans of stealing the very power of the "v" for herself, "v" most likely standing for Val'kyr. The record is found by adventurers and brought back to Dalaran. If you play for the Horde, then you’re complimented on keeping this delicate information out of the grubby little hands of the Alliance, but if you play for the Alliance, you’re informed that this information will be brought to Greymane as soon as possible. So Greymane was aware of Sylvanas' other plan when he chases her down in Stormheim.
One of the biggest challenges to Sylvanas is the fact that the Forsaken cannot reproduce, but are they destined to wither away into nothing?
Sylvanas
No. The Forsaken will never stop fighting. Not while I reign. Not when there are still beings out there with the power to stop death.
The Banshee queen is still focused on avoiding the hell that she ended up in after she threw herself from the top of Icecrown Citadel. The Val'kyr made a deal with her; they would take her place in hell in case she dies, and in exchange, they would be free from Bolvar's control. Knowing the torment and damnation that awaits, Sylvanas took them up on their offer and gained not only the power to stay out of hell, but also Val'kyr able to resurrect more forsaken.
She has lost a few of her Val'kyr already, and it seems like she’s looking for the power of the original Val'kyr itself, the ability to create more of them. Joining her in this quest is Nathanos Blightcaller, her loyal follower.
The Alliance and Horde fight one another as they reach Stormheim (
分裂的舰队
), but are separated again and they’ll have to put their battle on hold while they deal with the damage done from their fight in the sky. On the Horde side, we can see that Sylvanas is once again quite happy to use the plague and it made quite a mess, so we get to clean it up. Next, to that, Nathanos is desperately searching for his Banshee Queen, she has to be out there somewhere, and we’re going to find her. Eventually, we meet up with Dread-Captain Tattersail, who was the last person to see the Warchief, and he tells us that she has sailed in a rowboat.
The Banshee Queen made her escape and it would seem like she doesn’t want to be followed not by us or anyone else and ours is not the question, only to obey, at least according to Nathanos. We kill Thane Wildsky, a Gryphon Master preparing to take flight, no doubt to pursue our queen from the sky and we take out a few of the SI:7 members that have been spying on our troops (
残忍的战利品
). One of them has even been able to seduce a local Ravenbear so we take them out and after that, we focus our efforts on finding the Aegis (
监视黑喙崖
).
During the trials to obtain the Aegis of Aggramar, Horde adventurers eventually visit Helheim, the Vrykul purgatory. Helheim is ruled by Helya, and serves as a form of afterlife for the Vrykul, but surprisingly enough, we find Sylvanas in there.
Sylvanas has found her own path into Helheim, but it’s unexplained how she did this, but you could imagine that considering she’s a banshee, and she has several Val'kyr at her side, so it’s possible that she used that to gain entry. The details of the bargain made with Helya are also kept in the dark. We can see that she obtained a lantern, similar to the one we later use to free our own severed spirit, but what did Helya want in return? Did her goals directly align with that of the banshee queen or did Sylvanas promise something she has yet to pay?
That isn't revealed, and we just see Sylvanas goes out to use her lantern while we’re stuck in Helheim with having to find our own way out.
Eyir, Queen of the Valkyra
Back on the surface, members of the Alliance are called over to Greywatch to meet up with Greymayne (
除妖
). Forsaken troops in the area are cooking up blight, so we’re sent to destroy it before they overtake us while also dealing with an Apothecary providing them with the plague. During the mission, we also are tasked with searching for scouting orders which may help pinpoint Sylvanas’ objective in the area (
荫蔽密语
).
We do just that, and we find out that Sylvanas is after something in Skold-Ashil, a Vrykul town not far from Greywatch but we still don’t know what exactly she’s after. Perhaps the answer can be found in Skold-Ashil so we fly out while Greymane will muster the fleet to assault the Forsaken outpost.
At this point, Horde players come in as Nathanos summon them (
黑暗女王的密令
). Heroes are asked to fire some of the Forsaken catapults, kill the Worgen troops and blow up the ship that Greymane is inside (
横扫甲板!
).
Nathanos believes that there’s no way Greymane could have survived that destruction so, with the outpost secured, the Horde forces travel so Skold-Ashil to carry out Sylvanas’ mission (
前往斯考德-艾希尔
). There, they encounter the Banshee Queen herself, who’s not pleased that her troops have been unable to secure the town or the Vault located inside it.
A change of tactics is in order, as our goal lies within the vault. Sylvanas doesn’t have time to explain the details, just tells that it is vital to the Forsaken that we succeed. We’re sent to figure out how the chosen few of the shieldmaiden order, those that are allowed access into the vault, are selected, which is engraved upon the Vrykul shields. These shields show the story as to how the goddess of the shieldmaidens named Eyir is watching over them in battle.
Various trials are undergone by the warriors of Skold-Ashild with an image of a shieldmaiden kneeling before an elaborate spear. The priestesses of the temple stand nearby, silently observing the rite. The next scene shows one of the shieldmaidens glowing with a radiant aura, held aloft by golden wings while hovering above a statue of an ancient champion of Skold-Ashil. Eyir stands at the entrance of the Titan vault, and she appears to be welcoming a winged champion of the shieldmaidens inside. The final shield shows the image of a shieldmaiden lift the body of a fallen Vrykul from the battlefield, and this image appears eerily similar to that of a Val’kyr (
盾牌的秘密
).
From this, we can say that the shieldmaidens undergo some trials to prove themselves worthy of entrance into the vault where Eyir judges them and if found worthy, they’re turned into Val’kyr. This discovery means that Eyir has the power to create more Val'kyr and, considering that Val'kyr keep Sylvanas out of hell, as well as grant her the ability to create more troops, dominion over this practice would secure the future of not only Sylvanas but also the Forsaken. It is also something that, from the Alliance point of view, can absolutely not happen.
Both factions are told to become the next ascendant, and for this, we have to collect Eyir's battle-gear and commune with the statue of an ancient champion of Skold-Ashil and bring down the barrier. As luck would have it, this ancient champion is Ashildir, the same Ashildir that we partied with in Helheim and she was the one who once upon a time brought the shieldmaidens to Skol- Ashil.
Knowing us, Ashildir grants us entrance in the vault to meet Eyir, but reveals that her superior might not be so fond of us. This opportunity opens the path for Sylvanas to try to subdue Eyir, which has Greymane quickly follow her (
亡灵新生
).
Greymane got his revenge for what went down on the Broken Shore and what she did to his city and most of all to his son. He will need time to heal from the poison while Sylvanas regrets that they underestimated Greymane’s tenacity, but Eyir cannot hide for long. She will hunt her through the very Halls of Valor if she must so it seems like the Banshee Queen will not stop trying to collect Eyir's power.
The Argus Campaign and the Sword in Silithus
The rest of the story of Legion played out pretty much without the involvement of the faction leaders; instead we managed to bring back Illidan, we managed to seal off the gateway at the Tomb of Sargeras, and the betrayer even opened a massive rift between Azeroth and Argus, the home-world of the Legion. We quickly travel there to take care of the Legion once and for all while also reuniting with heroes of old like Turalyon and Alleria Windrunner. It turns out that they have allied themselves with the Army of the Light, Alleria even obtains the powers of the Void, and together we are able to defeat our enemy, and with the aid of the Pantheon, we imprison Sargeras.
However, this victory was almost hollow, as the Dark Titan manages to plunge his massive sword in Azeroth, causing enormous damage to it and the titan spirit of Azeroth. Her blood, known as Azerite, bursts out across the world. This incredibly powerful substance will change the face of war forever, but this is not the first time it was found.
Before the Storm
Azerite was first discovered by Gallywix all the way back to the goblin starting zone of Kezan. It turns out that Deathwing showing up or the Cataclysm might not have been the reason for their volcano to go active and destroy their little island, it could have very well been the goblins digging so deep that they struck the blood of the world, finding Azerite for the first time in recorded history. He placed it in his cane for safekeeping, and with recent events, the ore inside has changed color from red to gold again. Touching this stuff has some incredible effects on the people. Forget Kaja’mite or Kaja’cola; this is the real deal as it gives you a feeling of being mighty, thoughts will race through your brain, not merely calculating, cunning, smart ideas but shining, frighteningly brilliant ones. Innovative. Creative. It can heal the soul, destroy civilizations, it is a power unlike any they have ever experienced and like Sylvanas said,
This...will change everything...
Those that touch it all have a similar experience to its properties, although it is an unknown and new substance for the moment, the potential of it is instantly apparent. There was speculation that it might also have some mind-controlling abilities, but it doesn’t seem to be a thing. Instead, it comes down to the individual on how they should utilize it.
Sylvanas saw herself no longer as a Dark Lady or even a Queen. She was a goddess of destruction and creation, and she was stunned that she had never understood how deeply the two were intertwined. Armies, cities, entire cultures – she could raise them. And destroy them. Stormwind would be among the first, yielding its people to swell the numbers of her own. She could deal death on a scale that wasn't ever possible before.
Azerite is the lifeblood of this world, her essence, and Magni Bronzebeard can hear her cries of agony. The world is dying, and he doesn’t just let the Alliance and Horde know, this is a problem that affects all life on the planet, and he goes around making sure that everyone's priorities are in order.
After being made Warchief, the Forsaken have created an entity called the Desolate Council, an organization focused on helping Sylvanas govern Undercity, as she now doesn't have the same amount of time available for her people. While other members of the horde criticize her for not showing the other races enough attention, her own people say she has been giving them too much, and a void in power has developed in the Undercity. They are not another Putress; they have no intention of seizing control from the Dark Lady, just making sure that there’s a governing body to tend to the population’s needs.
But since the Forsaken have free will, something even shown during their starting experience as they have the choice to join her or not; it also gave them an option to disagree with her views. She has seen hell and wants to stay alive forever, but some have begun to wonder if they are meant to live forever. How much should they do, how far should they go, to keep existing? That’s a question arising amongst some of the Forsaken as well as emotions and memories to their days amongst the living.
At this time we have Anduin’s caretaker, Wyll Benton, who in his final moments can’t see his beloved wife Elsie waiting for him. If she had died, she would be waiting, and if she had survived, she would have found a way back to him. His last request to Anduin is to tell her that he always loved only her and to tell her, if she isn't dead, that he would be waiting for her. As luck would have it, Elsie is the leader of the Desolate Council, and there are more amongst the Forsaken that would love to see their living family again. You might remember that originally the Forsaken had asked to join the Alliance, but their messengers never made it back to Undercity, likely killed in sight but times have changed.
Years have passed, and there’s new leadership now. Not only that, but we also saw more unity between the living and the dead, like with Alonsus Foul, the one responsible for the creation of the paladins in the Alliance, he came back as an Undead Priest and worked with Priests from all around the world to fight against the Legion.
More forsaken accepted as just Priests, a comrade in arms, if they could do it on a small scale amongst the Priest order, is there the potential for a reunion between the living and the undead? The spark of an idea, the seed of change was there, and it would only take a few good people with good intentions to make it so.
There is more to the forsaken than just seeing them as dark, unholy creatures but it’s going to take time for that mindset to change. At first, they ask around to find out who’s willing to even meet up with their former loved ones and friends, the same is done on the Forsaken side, and of course there are a lot of negotiations on how this is going to go down since the two parties are not exactly friends with each other. Not to mention that Sylvanas has quite a few reservations when it comes to all of this. She cares about the Forsaken, and this will only lead to pain for her people. They cannot be human, and to dangle this temptation of reunion with loved ones will result in them growing dissatisfied with who they are – Forsaken.
They will deteriorate to heartbroken shells, wanting something they can never have. But Nathanos lets her know that she could also use this to her advantage. Many forsaken wish their next death to be their last death. They do not want to keep existing. And one reason commonly cited is that they want to be with those they loved while they lived. If she would authorize this experience – this reconnection with people they loved in life – and present it to them as something that she has generously granted them, perhaps they will more amenable to accepting her solution: finding ways to keep the Forsaken as a race from going extinct. It’s only for a single day. Give them this hope, this moment with people they thought they’d never see again. Then she holds power to their happiness, at least in this aspect. Or they might decide they hate the living and be all the more devoted to their dark lady. Either way, Sylvanas would win.
As planned the meeting took place and while some humans, despite agreeing to come still turned away at the last moment and crushing the forsaken that showed up, others did have a very touching reunion. So much so that they did not want the day to end. One of them approached a priest, Calia Menethil, sister to Arthas Menethil who like Alonsus also showed up again in Legion.
We find out that she had secretly fallen in love with a footman, got married and even had a child, but all of that was before Arthas and the Scourge. She doesn’t remember much of that period besides lying in a ditch while the Scourge passed over her. Eventually, she was able to make her way to Southshore and reunite with her little family. For a time they were happy, no one recognized her since all assumed that she was dead, but then, the blight came. They ran, but in the crowd, they were separated. While she was saved and taken past the limits of the town, she never found her family again and was hoping that they might have become forsaken, that word of them might reach her at this meeting. That would not be; instead she was recognized for who she was and asked to be there for the Forsaken that did not want to go back home. Calia had discussed this idea earlier with Anduin. Was she still the rightful heir to Lordaeron, would she want Stormwind to rage war against the Horde and reclaim her throne? Would a war be worth it? But Calia said that those who currently inhabit Lordaeron lived there in life.
The Forsaken are the rightful heirs. It belongs to them now, and the best she can do for those whom she would have ruled is precisely what she already was doing, being a priest and healing. However, some of the Forsaken did not want this day to end, and despite all rules set up before this meeting, they asked Calia to be there for them and started walking to Stromgarde Keep, away from their banshee queen. They were defecting Sylvanas and when she realized it, and all hell broke loose. The rangers with her started shooting down those that dared to betray her, but she was also brilliant about it. They made sure only to kill her own Forsaken since that way she wouldn’t be the one to start the Alliance-Horde war and still keep up her end of the bargain when it came to this meeting.
Sadly, not all of the Forsaken, not all of the Desolate Council were willing to abandon their queen, not even for Calia. They wanted to come back and started running at the signal, but they were shot all the same. Nathanos was a little bit shocked by that, but Sylvanas did not know if those that came back did so out of fear. How tempted were they until that point. No, she could not take the risk. The only Desolate Council members she trusts are the ones who returned to her early on when they didn't find their relatives, broken and bitter. Truly Desolate. All the others... she could not allow that sentiment, that hope, to grow. It is an infection ready to spread, and she has to cut it out. She also knew that this wasn’t Anduin’s doing, he wasn’t that stupid, no this was on the head of that Calia girl, and she was going to pay. The Banshee Queen herself fired the arrow that took Calia’s life despite Anduin rushing the field and trying to save her. He was going to bring her body back to Netherlight temple though so the Warchief and boy-king have a little stare down. He knows that she doesn’t want a war otherwise they wouldn’t be talking. But he has the right to declare it as she just broke the rules and killed one of his people. However, Calia wasn’t one of his people, she was a citizen of Lordaeron, and he was the one who brought a usurper onto the field. It’s she who would be well in her rights to consider that a hostile action but this stand down ends with words as Sylvanas is not quite ready for her war just yet. Anduin takes Calia’s body back to Netherlight temple where the Naaru Saa’ra, Alonsus and the order were waiting.
After the events, Genn and Anduin discuss what happened, even someone like Genn was surprisingly open to the idea of reuniting with the Forsaken, yet no one could have foreseen how poorly Sylvanas could deal with anything that wasn’t complete and utter obeisance. Despite the failure there, Anduin would never stop hoping for peace and never stop believing that people can change. But he does realize that he has been like a farmer expecting to harvest crops from a poisoned field. It’s just not possible. People can change, but some people will never – never desire to do so. Sylvanas Windrunner was one of those. Sorrow and grim resolve took over Anduin's face and made him look older. Genn had seen similar expressions on the faces of those who had been tasked with a heartbreaking duty. When the boy spoke, Genn was glad of the words but saddened by his need to say them. “
I believe. That Sylvanas Windrunner is well and truly lost,
” said Anduin Llane Wrynn.
Three Sisters Comic
Perhaps this is true, yet the long-awaited Windrunner reunion shows us that there’s still, if just a glimmer, of affection and mercy within the Banshee Queen. After returning home to Azeroth, Alleria calls upon her estranged siblings—Sylvanas, the Warchief of the Horde, and Vereesa, ranger-general of the Silver Covenant—to join her in a quest to retake their ancestral home, Windrunner Spire, from the undead who have overrun the place.
Alleria and Vereesa had a lot of time to talk about Sylvanas, but seeing with her own eyes what had happened to her sister was something else. The Void in Alleria’s mind constantly whispers to her, to give in to their madness and strike out at those she loves. But when Sylvanas enters the picture, it almost seems like the Void becomes more frantic. It wants her to end this threat but again Alleria ignores the whispers, and the Windrunner sisters ride out.
Sylvanas suggests that they should play a game, each of them will make three statements and two of them will be true. They will not reveal which is the lie until after they’ve taken Windrunner Spire.
Click here to check out the full comic.
Alleria, the eldest, gets to go first.
I have missed you both terribly. The powers of the Void are a tremendous gift. I have no regrets about stepping through the dark portal so many years ago.
Vereesa, the youngest says
I believe in the blood elves. I think they can be redeemed. I have finally made my peace with the loss of my beloved Rhonin. I fear I will lose you both... Forever.
Finally, Sylvanas makes her statements.
There are times I wish I were still alive. I am proud to be Warchief of the Horde. I will never betray you, my sisters.
The Spire is taken so its time to reveal their lies. Vereesa lied about having moved past Rhonin’s death. She sees him every day in her sons. Alleria lied about the Void’s powers being a gift. They are not. It is a relentless struggle, but one she will win. Sylvanas refuses to answer all together, and the tale ends with Alleria realizing that she has fought for her family only to return and find it broken and Vereesa apologizing for what she has done to Sylvanas. She was a coward when she backed out of their plans during Garrosh’ trial. It must have hurt her, Alleria has no idea, but she hopes that one day Sylvanas might be able to forgive her.
With her sisters gone, the Dark Lady's troops come out of hiding, surprised that she didn’t give the signal to attack. She explains that she let them go to cling to their sorrow-filled lives a little longer. In the end, they would all serve her in death. They would all serve her.
Perhaps the banshee queen didn’t play the game at all. Remember that there were supposed to be two truths and one lie. She said she would never betray them, but we can see that that was precisely what she was planning to do with her troops waiting in ambush.
She said she was proud to be Warchief of the Horde, but we know that Sylvanas never wanted to be Warchief and prefers to work from the shadows. She said there are times she wishes she was still alive, which might hold true to it, as she doesn’t seem to like being undead, despite inflicting that same curse upon others.
Battle for Azeroth
Only the Banshee Queen knows, but that dreams of everyone serving her in death take us into Battle for Azeroth and the campaign into Darkshore. To secure peace for the Horde, she decided that the time had come to wipe out their enemy, the Alliance, once and for all. Together with Saurfang, they made their plans in secret. Capture the world tree Teldrassil to splinter the unity amongst the Alliance. They’d seek vengeance of course, but they’d have citizens hostage, the Alliance would not dare to strike at the Undercity for fear of their people. It would take them years to muster a fleet even to attempt to do so. There would be infighting amongst their ranks, and if the Alliance does not march as one, each nation would act in its own interest. Each army would return home to protect their lands from the Horde.
One single victory would cripple the Alliance for years, destroy them from within. Then they could strike peace with the individual nations and carve them away from the Alliance, piece by piece. The Night Elves leaders, Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind were, of course, powerful and worthy targets to take out.
We see their strength during the campaign when we see the Banshee Queen face off against, the Archdruid, with her almost losing the fight. However, Saurfang arrives and, with a dishonorable blow in his back, saves his Warchief. Despite having her prey right in front of her, the Banshee Queen decides to let Saurfang finish the job, a choice she would come to regret as it went against the old soldier's honor, forcing him to allow Tyrande to save her lover. He would not do it, not this way so when he returned to their Warchief without Malfurions head, she came up with a different idea. This conquest of Darnassus would rattle the Kaldorei people. They would grieve for their lost, fear for their imprisoned, and tremble at the thought of the Horde ransacking their homes.
But they would not fall to despair. Not anymore. Malfurion’s impossible survival would give them hope. Their wound would heal. Even in this dark hour, they would say, Elune still watches over us. And that was almost certainly true. Elune had intervened. Perhaps she had even stayed Saurfang’s killing blow. And she wouldn’t be the only force beyond the Alliance to oppose Sylvanas’s real objective. That true objective is still kept somewhat in the dark, but at that moment the dark lady comes up with a different plan.
Delaryn Summermoon is forced to watch Teldrassil, and her people burn, cursing Elune in her final moments for abandoning them. Saurfang is not happy with the actions of the Warchief; this is not the Horde he signed up for. The Alliance will come for them now, all of them and he would be right as the Siege of Lordaeron followed the Burning of Teldrassil.
During the preparations for the Siege of Undercity, the old soldier is broken and ready to find his warriors death in combat by facing the Alliance on his own. Luckily Zekhan was there to convince him to live another day, to fight for the children of the Horde. Saurfang could not abandon them in their most desperate hour. Again, however, Sylvanas showed him that honor meant nothing to her. She unleashes blight upon the Alliance AND the Horde. The fallen are resurrected to serve their queen in death. Desperately, Saurfang tries to remind the soldiers of the horde that this is not their way, but he is not the Warchief.
The Alliance is able to push deep into Capital City, despite the ruthless tactics of the Banshee Queen until the Horde is forced to play their final hand. High Overlord Saurfang is left behind to face the Alliance on his own, but still, his death is denied as Anduin decides to imprison him and when he returns they will speak of honor and how it may yet be reclaimed.
The Alliance might have won, but Sylvanas made sure that their prize was destroyed. Back home in Orgrimmar, Sylvanas plans a secret meeting with Princess Talanji, daughter of King Rastakhan, the leader of the Zandalari. En route, she was captured by the Alliance and placed within the Stockades. For that, adventurers are summoned to save her from the Stockade, using Saurfang as a pretense.
However, after the jailbreak, we don’t return to Orgrimmar, instead going to Zandalar. There we help them out with their troubles in Zuldazar, Nazmir and Vol’dun while also focusing on the war campaign against the Alliance. The world is hurting not only from the internal damage done by Sargeras, but also the faction war up above.
While persecuting her war campaign against the Alliance, Sylvanas discovers the body of Derk Proudmoore, Jaina's brother, and decides to raise him in order to use him against the Alliance, much to the horror of other Horde leaders and Derek himself.
Tides of Vengeance
Disgusted by the turn of events, Baine and Zelling help Derek escape and reunite with Jaina, but the treachery is discovered and the Tauren Chieftain is publically arrested during a meeting of the Horde leadership.
Following the death of King Rastakhan, the newly crowned Queen Talanji refuses to kneel before another and Sylvanas begrudgingly accepts the Zandalari into the Horde as equals.
Sylvanas: She thinks to summon me? Hmph. I suppose she is allowed some posturing today.
Talanji: De Horde has been a trustworthy ally to Zandalar.
Talanji: Without our partnership, we may not have overcome de threats dat rose against us.
Talanji: I understand dat you have need of our forces. De Alliance will stop at nothing to destroy you.
Talanji: So let it be official. De Zandalari and de Horde will stand together... as equals.
Sylvanas: Equals?
I am de queen of Zandalar. And a queen kneels to no one. Surely, you understand.
Sylvanas: I see... Very well, Queen Talanji. The Horde welcomes you.
Crucible of Storms
After defeating Uu'nat in Crucible of Storms, the Horde player picks up the Blade of the Black Empire for Sylvanas. She becomes excited over the possibility of acquiring it to turn the tide of the faction conflict.
Xal'atath... a fascinating weapon. I have heard tales of its exploits.
A pity it now lies dormant. But anything that slumbers can be awakened.
This blade is more than a mere dagger. It is a torch that shall light our path forward.
Soon I will call upon you again, champion. And together, we will steer the Horde toward its destiny.
The Alliance believes that by striking down Rastakhan and decimating the Zandalari fleet, they have broken us. That the Horde will soon crumble.
Fools. The boy-king has lied to himself and his people. He hasn't the faintest inkling of what he's truly up against.
War is a living thing. It writhes, it grows, twisting and turning until its final form is revealed.
This war is about to shift yet again. And it will be this blade that guides our way to victory.
Rise of Azshara
Sylvanas imprisons Baine in Orgrimmar, and members of the Alliance and Horde sympathize with his plight and free him. However, letting everyone escape was part of Sylvanas' master plan, due to the broadcast text:
Nathanos: Saurfang, Thrall, the Alliance... it is vexing to allow our quarry to believe they escaped us. But we must trust in the warchief's plan.
She then orders Nathanos to set sail for Nazjatar, referencing her master plan:
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: Nathanos. The next phase of our campaign is at hand.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: Sail out with what remains of our fleet. The blade will guide you to the rendezvous.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: Casualties on both sides will be substantial. Consider this an opportunity to weed out the disloyal.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: The threads we have woven with such care will soon be drawn together. The war is serving its purpose. Stay focused on the endgame. You know what is to come.
Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: We have been through so much together, you and I. Trust in me, as I have ever trusted in you.
After the happenings in Nazjatar and the Eternal Palace, the united forces that rescued Baine from Orgrimmar now set out to challenge Sylvanas within the capital of the Horde.
To minimize the number of casualties, High Overlord Saurfang challenges Sylvanas to a Mak’gora in front of Orgrimmar. In the Reckoning cinematic, the monumental duel plays out as Sylvanas’ last action as Warchief of the Horde:
Soon later, Sylvanas meets with her loyalists in the Ghostlands, where she unveils part of her true plan:
It looks like her bargain with Azshara will pay off soon, as the heroes of Azeroth will try and fight N’Zoth while she will eventually master death.
Shadowlands
From the official Shadowlands trailer shown at BlizzCon ‘19 we learned that Sylvanas traveled to Icecrown Citadel to confront the current Lich King, also known as Bolvar Fordragon.
Her master plan finally unfolds as she manages to defeat the Lich King and destroy the Helm of Domination, the item that defines the Lich King and the Scourge. Through this action she opens a rift between worlds, an opening to the realm of death, the Shadowlands.
In hindsight, the Fourth War between all the different factions seemed to only serve one purpose: Sylvanas wanted to feed the Maw, the underworld of lost souls located in Shadowlands, to grow her own power and the power of the Jailer, the entity that seems to rule death itself.
He could also be the voice that told Vol’jin to make Sylvanas the new Warchief before he died, starting all events that led to this point.
This article was written by Nobbel87 and edited by Anshlun.
Shadows Rising
Sylvanas sent her champion, Nathanos Blightcaller, to destroy Bwonsamdi, loa of death. By taking souls to his own realm of death, Bwonsamdi interfered with the Jailer's plans. Nathanos ultimately failed in his task, returning to Sylvanas just after she broke the helm to let her know. Sylvanas was angry, but focused on her own path. When Nathanos told her he would return to his old home of Marris Stead and await her orders, she replied only that he should return with a way to stop Bwonsamdi's meddling. After that, she entered the Shadowlands.
Dark Abduction
Bolvar Fordragon, the Lich King, warns that now that Sylvanas has crossed the veil into the Shadowlands, she will return to abduct key figures vital to her plans. Sure enough, as he predicted, strange, armored, winged beings wielding chains of shadow magic come for Tyrande Wisperwind, Jaina Proudmoore, Baine Bloodhoof, Thrall, and Anduin Wrynn. Tyrande manages to repel the attack on her, but the others are all captured and flown away with the creatures.
Death Rising
Meanwhile, the shattering of the Helm of Domination and the opening of a rift between Azeroth and the Shadowlands allowed the dead to cross the barrier and rampage across Azeroth, bringing with them a new blight that turns the living into mindless zombies and spreads like wildfire.
True to his word, Nathanos retreats to Marris Stead but is confronted by the Heroes of Azeroth. As he makes his last stand, Tyrande Wisperwind, the Night Warrior, comes looking for the location of Sylvanas. With Tyrande's blade at his throat, Nathanos tells her that Sylvanas is with "him" across the veil, in the darkest part of the Shadowlands. He taunts Tyrande, telling her that if she kills him, she will send him straight to Sylvanas. She obliges.
Shadowlands
The abducted leaders of Azeroth have been taken to Torghast, Tower of the Damned, in the Maw where they are tortured. Sylvanas now allied with the Jailer, tries to talk Anduin into joining their cause. When Anduin resists, Sylvanas tell him that it doesn't matter if he doesn't join them, they will find another who will serve their purpose.
The Heroes of Azeroth have come to the Shadowlands along with Darion Mograine and the Death Knights of the Ebon Blade on a quests to rescue the abducted leaders. They join up with Jaina and Thrall who have managed to escape from Torghast. Jaina leads the party to the Tremaculum where Anduin is being held. Breaking the chains that hold him, the party escapes the Tremaculum with Anduin and makes their way across the Maw in search of a portal that will allow them to escape. On the way, the Jailer appears and taunts them with Baine as his prisoner. They manage to rescue Baine and continue on to the portal. Once they have reached the portal, it becomes apparent that the Hero of Azeroth is the only person who can interact with it. As the portal charges, the band puts up a fight against the Jailer's forces but when the Jailer himself along with his whole army arrive, failure seems imminent. Thrall, Baine, and Jaina are recaptured, bound in shadow chains. As the army approaches, the Hero is still trying to activate the portal. Anduin sees what he must do. He calls upon the Light, summoning a barrier which holds the Jailer's forces back long enough for the Hero to get through the portal. When his barrier falls, Anduin is once again bound in chains, but he defies the Jailer, saying, "You have failed." "No," the Jailer replies, "I have exactly what I need." Anduin is returned to Torghast.
The Jailer sees Anduin as the perfect instrument for his plans and is ready to begin his preparation. Sylvanas reminds the Jailer of what Anduin is capable of when he believes in the cause and suggests that being patient and turning Anduin will be a better plan. The Jailer agrees to allow her to turn Anduin to their cause. During this conversation it is significant that the Jailer refers to Anduin as "it." He is just a thing, a tool, a weapon for the Jailer. Sylvanas, on the other hand, refers to Anduin as "him." He still retains his humanity in her eyes. He is a person, a potential ally, someone who can become an asset.
Sylvanas talks to Anduin, affording him a small measure of comfort by releasing him from his chains. She talks about the lack of choice in their lives, and in their afterlives. "We can't even choose who we..." she bursts out and stops before finishing the thought. She goes on to explain that she has sided with the Jailer because she believes that his way is the path to free choice, to the ability to finally control her own fate. Anduin suggests that she is just another weapon that the jailer is using for his own ends. Unperturbed, Sylvanas gives Anduin a choice: join them willingly, or by force. She believes that the path she has chosen will allow everyone free will.
Sylvanas' Choice
After Sire Denathrius, another ally of the Jailer, is defeated and captured by the Heroes of Azeroth, Sylvanas asks the Jailer about the plan to rescue him, but the Jailer brushes her off, telling her that Denathrius has served his purpose. As they speak, the Jailer is having a new mourneblade forged, a blade with a hilt that looks a lot like Shalamayne, and tells Sylvanas that the time has come to ready their next weapon. Anduin is that weapon and the Jailer intends to force Anduin to comply.
Sylvanas returns to Anduin to try to turn him willingly one last time. Anduin has not broken and is more resolved than ever. He suggests that that she is so desperate to give him this choice because she feels she never had a choice herself. Anduin has hit the nail on the head, and confronts Sylvanas about the shred of mortality she still has, the piece of her old life that desperately clings to hope. Reminding her that she was once the Ranger General, he turns the choice back on her, force him, or confront who she really is. Having seen first hand that the Jailer is planning to turn Anduin into a weapon, and having realized that Sire Denathrius was disposable, Sylvanas begins to think about her own role. Maybe Anduin is right. Maybe she is just a weapon to the Jailer as well.
Kingsmourne
Finally turned to the Jailer's will, Anduin is sent to Elysian Hold in Bastion, where his reputation allows him an audience with the Archon. As he is marched to the audience chamber, he passes Uther in chains being led away in disgrace. When he sees Anduin, a look of wonder, recognition, or remembrance crosses Uther's face, foreshadowing what is about to happen.
Once in the presence of the Archon, the Jailer speaks through Anduin, revealing that Anduin is merely a vessel used to gain him access to the Archon. Anduin's familiar look falls away and we see that he has been made into a Death Knight just as Arthas was. He attacks and wounds the Archon with his newly reforged blade, Kingsmourne, once Shalamayne, but as he does so Anduin seems to fight back to himself for a second. He is horrified by what he is being made to do, but the Jailer is too strong and he succumbs once again. Anduin takes the Archon's sigil and returns to the Jailer, apparently now completely his puppet.
Seemingly a complete automaton at this point, Anduin gives Kingsmourne and the sigil of the Archon to the Jailer as Sylvanas looks on. The sigil, the Jailer explains, is a key which, along with 3 others, will help him forward his plans. He seems to be creating chains to tether a floating island to the Maw. But Sylvanas, looking at the empty eyed Anduin, may be beginning to have doubts about her place in the plan.
Chains of Domination
Determined to recover more of the Eternal Ones' sigils, Sylvanas leads the assault on Ardenweald. When she meets members of the Alliance and Horde, she seems to show a strange restraint, stunning them rather than killing them. Her mission is successful when Anduin, now fully under the Jailer's control, steals the Winter Queen's sigil.
Later, the forces of Azeroth learns that Helya has been capturing and using some of Odyn's golden Val'kyr to resurrect and change the Nine Val'kyr who pledged themselves to Sylvanas. These nine are Annhylde, who sacrificed her life to save Sylvanas after she threw herself off Icecrown Citadel, Agatha, Daschla, and Arthura, who died in Silverpine Forest to save Sylvanas after she was betrayed and killed by Lord Godfrey, Aradne, who was killed during the Battle for Andorhal during the Story of the Western Plaguelands, Brynja, who was killed by the Night Warrior Tyrande in the lead-up to the Battle for Darkshore, and Kyra, Signe, and Skyja, who were still alive when they journeyed to the Shadowlands with Sylvanas.
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